A LOCAL woman is urging people to download a phone app that she says will help dramatically reduce food waste in the town.
OLIO connects neighbours with each other and with local businesses so surplus food can be shared, not thrown away. This could be food nearing its sell-by date in local stores, spare home-grown vegetables, or the groceries in your fridge when you go away.
The app gives you a list of local products that are available for pick up, simply request whatever item you want and arrange a time and place for pick up. Equally, if you have an item you want to give away simply upload a photo to the app and neighbours will request what they want.
Similar apps that can also be used to reduce food waste include Too Good To Go and Freecycle.
Marisa Befoh, a local woman who uses the app says, “The food you’ll see on the app is the same as the stuff being sold in the supermarket the evening before with a reduced sticker. The only difference is that now the best before date has finished and the supermarket are simply not selling it – instead, they are sharing it on the app for free.
“In such uncertain and expensive times with the rising cost of living this is the perfect app for all walks of life, whether you do it to save money or because you want to help reduce the shocking amount of food waste that this country alone produces.
“In Wiltshire alone hundreds of volunteers save their waste and supermarket waste by sharing with their fellow neighbours through this app and it’s available to everyone – I just think more people should know about this!
“The majority of the food can be frozen, and others can be transformed into tasty recipes – all in aid of sustainability.”
OLIO can be download by searching it up on the app store on a smartphone.
Community Fridge also combats food waste
Residents are being encouraged to take free food from the town’s community fridge, regardless of your circumstance, as a way to reduce food waste.
The fridge operates from Westbury Community Project, off Eden Vale Road every Monday, Wednesday, and Thursday morning from 10-30am to 12pm. Organisers say for people to just come along with their carrier bags and take what they like.
